15 Risky Casting Choices That Totally Paid Off
![15 Risky Casting Choices That Totally Paid Off](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/5/3/821053_320x180.jpg)
The supporting cast plays an important role in bringing a project's story to life. We've seen some fantastic casting picks for celebrities over the years. Actors frequently perform in a specific part as a way of demonstrating their worth. Let's take a closer look at some hazardous casting decisions that ended up being fantastic.
Choosing the correct actor to play a specific character is crucial when making a film since an actor's performance could make a character pleasant or unforgettable. Occasionally directors notice something in a performer that others might not and decide to hire that actor anyway. We've created a list of high-risk castings that paid off handsomely, despite the odds.
It's difficult to see how certain actors might potentially pull off certain characters at first, especially if the characters come from literature or comic books that already have a devoted following. Sometimes the director notices something we don't, and sometimes the performer reveals something we didn't know they possessed. In this case, here are 15 risky casting choices that paid off big time.
![ADAM DRIVER AS KYLO REN CRACKED.COM Adam Driver as Kylo Ren was controversial because of his look, age, and he was mostly known for HBO's 'Girls' at the time. Critics and skeptics were convinced by his ferocity and vulnerability, and he's since cemented his place in the Star Wars franchise.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/5/6/821056.jpg)
Source: eightieskids
![JOHAN HILL IN MONEYBALL CRACKED COM In 2011, Hill was known for teen comedies, but his dramatic abilities were put to the test when Bennett Miller cast him as Peter Brand. While maintaining his comedic touch, he showcased his dramatic skills, earning an Oscar nomination.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/5/821065.jpg)
Source: gamesradar
![MICHAEL KEATON AS BATMAN CRACKED.COM Warner Bros received 50,000 protest letters from angry fans after Keaton was cast in 1989, but both Keaton Batmans are considered the gold standard of superhero films, and the best Batman debate usually comes down to Bale or Keaton.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/6/821066.jpg)
Source: cheatsheet
![BARKHAD ABDI IN CAPTAIN PHILLIPS CRACKED.COM Determined to find Somali actors, Paul Greengrass looked in the Somali-American community of Minneapolis, and discovered completely unknown limo driver, Barkhad Abdi. Abdi won everyone over with, I'm the captain now, won a BAFTA and was nominated for an Oscar.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/5/8/821058.jpg)
Source: gamesradar
![RENEE ZELLWEGER AS BRIDGET JONES CRACKED.COM Bridget Jones was British literature's most iconic female character of the 90s, so casting a petite Texan like Zellweger saw the headline, 'Crap American Comedian Playing English Icon'. The career-defining role won over fans everywhere and earned an Oscar nom.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/7/821067.jpg)
Source: independent
![JENNIFER LAWRENCE AS KATNISS EVERDEEN CRACKED.COM Because Katniss Everdeen is a beloved book character, fans questioned Lawrence's look and experience. Her ability to lead the franchise was immediately cemented, and lead to the next four Hunger Games installments.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/3/821063.jpg)
Source: cbsnews
![ROBERT DOWNEY JR. AS TONY STARK CRACKED COM Marvel Studios fought against the casting, and Director Jon Favreau stated, Robert was a tough sell. They wanted a lesser-known actor with no baggage who was 10 years younger. RDJ has since become synonymous with Iron Man, and kicked off the trend of superhero obsession we're currently living in.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/7/0/821070.jpg)
Source: collider
![CHARLIZE THERON IN MONSTER CRACKED.COM In 2003, it was hard for critics and audiences to imagine Charlize Theron as gritty, crazed killer, Aileen Wuornos. She received an Oscar and Robert Ebert praised it as, One of the greatest performances in the history of cinema.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/5/7/821057.jpg)
Source: collider
![DANIEL CRAIG AS JAMES BOND CRACKED.COM In 2005, the Blonde Bond controversy had fans boycott the film. They saw James Bond as sleek, elegant, and debonair whereas mostly-unknown Craig seemed like a meathead. His 5 installments as Bond from 2006 to 2021 have grossed nearly $4 billion.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/1/821061.jpg)
Source: yahoo
![HEATH LEDGER AS THE JOKER CRACKED.COM Fans were outraged that Ledger was cast as the Joker. Known for A Knight's tale and Brokeback Mountain, critics cried too young, too pretty, and not good enough, but his performance is considered among the all-time best, and he became the first actor in a superhero movie to be nominated for (and win) an Oscar.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/4/821064.jpg)
Source: cheatsheet
![GAL GADOT AS WONDER WOMAN CRACKED.COM Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman had worldwide backlash for, her look, her accent and lack of experience, but Gadot responded, If you want accuracy, the Amazons should all remove a breast to better shoot their bow and arrows. Her powerful and immensely likable performance spawned a sequel and even a 3rd in the works.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/5/9/821059.jpg)
Source: eightieskids
![KEANU REEVES IN SPEED Phone CRACKED.COM Long before The Matrix and John Wick, critics said he couldn't lead a big-budget blockbuster like Speed. Не shaved off his long hair, bulked up, and his performance as Jack Travern made him an unexpected action star who would soon become the highest-paid of all time.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/8/821068.jpg)
Source: eightieskids
![TOM CRUISE AS LESTAT CRACKED.COM Casting All-American golden boy Tom Cruise as decadent aristocratic French vampire Lestat in 'Interview With a Vampire' was seen a massive casting mistake. The book's author, Anne Rice, told the LA times she didn't approve, but Cruise won her over, later stating, Не did a magnificent job.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/9/821069.jpg)
Source: latimes
![BRUCE WILLIS AS JOHN McCLANE CRACKED.COM In 1988, Schwarzenegger and Stallone were the action heroes, so audiences laughed and booed when Bruce Willis (known for the comedy series Moonlighting) appeared in the Die Hard trailer. They soon realized the less muscular, more comedic Willis made Die Hard one of the most successful and influential action movies of all time.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/0/821060.jpg)
Source: eightieskids
![BRANDO & PACINO IN THE GODFATHER CRACKED.COM Paramount execs recoiled at the idea of casting Marlon Brando, since it was 1972 and he hadn't had a hit since the 50s. About Pacino, they stated, a runt will not play Michael. Luckily for them (and us) Francis Ford Coppola ignored their complaints, and created the highest grossing movie of all time (at the time) and a cinematic masterpiece.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/2/821062.jpg)
Source: collider